Rack and pinion conversion questions
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: orlando fl
Rack and pinion conversion questions
Hello Guys,
I have seen a few of you have done your own rack and pinion conversion. I would also like to do my own conversion although I am very mechanically inclined, I cannot weld. Does anyone fabricate the brackets needed for the conversion, or can someone fabricate the brackets for a resonable cost?? Also what rack is eveyone using? is the rack for a 1992 Grand Am, are they any special options I should specify when buying the rack from my local autozone. Everything else seems pretty straight forward. Any help or guidance is appreciated.
What started out as a repair and drive is turning into a Mustang T5 shifted, rack and pinion steered C3 Vette!!!
I have seen a few of you have done your own rack and pinion conversion. I would also like to do my own conversion although I am very mechanically inclined, I cannot weld. Does anyone fabricate the brackets needed for the conversion, or can someone fabricate the brackets for a resonable cost?? Also what rack is eveyone using? is the rack for a 1992 Grand Am, are they any special options I should specify when buying the rack from my local autozone. Everything else seems pretty straight forward. Any help or guidance is appreciated.
What started out as a repair and drive is turning into a Mustang T5 shifted, rack and pinion steered C3 Vette!!!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Best would be to buy the kit..when the DIYers do it they fabricate the brackets for their own cars...all these cars are different so there's a chance it won't fit properly..same may apply to the kit but at least then you have someone to address the issues to. If ya can't weld I don't think you'll be able to pull it off. Then again, for the cost savings you could buy a nice mig welder..practise some welding and have a go at it. Who knows what all you can do...I started with a broken door hinge...look at where the welder got me 
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
If you can't weld and don't want to learn, there is almost no way to build the brackets.
There are bracket pics and dimensions on my personal web , see the link on the left <---
There are bracket pics and dimensions on my personal web , see the link on the left <---
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: orlando fl
Thanks for the replies, 427 V8 your site served as my inspiration to try a DIY R&P, after all how hard can 3 brackets be.
427 V8 on your site you said the drawing for the center bracket is incorrect, do you have the correct dimensions handy.
427 V8 on your site you said the drawing for the center bracket is incorrect, do you have the correct dimensions handy.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i can weld and i bought the steeroids kit....its all designed and engineered....some will tell you they don't like it because of the design and they think its flimsy, but of everyone that has installed it theres only one guy i know who took it off after installing it, and theres a couple other guys who arent happy with it....overall considering how many people who have installed it thats a great ratio for an endorsement of the product.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
well...if you have 1500$ invested it's a tough choice giving it up and having to spend more money to fix up the old worn gear that came out...most will just " live with it"
Well that MAY be true in some cases, I just can't comprehend anyone having the nerve to try this sort of thing with steering components and not having the mechanical knowledge to carry forward and make it work, regardless.....
I think it's ballzey to even offer a kit...frankly....
but that's another issue.....
the kit CAN work fine, but as we are finding out, there MAY be enough variations among C2-3 frames to make it more difficult to fit easy...and since these car are do damn OLD, no one can say for sure what the accident/rust/service history IS....
which is why I decided if Idor Anderson could do it, so could I, with some help from a welder friend....he and I have suffered through MANY a project together, most having NOTHING to do with cars....
the crap we have fabbed/welded/designed/built is pretty impressive for two guys in a garage....well, actually 2 2 car garages...
